Fuel admitting means for internal combustion engines



COMBUSTION ENGINES April 5,1932. L. s. HOBBS FUEI/JA/DMITTING MEANS FOR INTERNAL Filed Jan. 6, 1930 INVENTOR ATTO R N EV.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 ."i UNITED STATES PATENT oer-ice LE ONARD S. HOBBS OF WEST HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR '10 WHITNEY AIRCRAFT THE PRATT &

COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT FUEL ADHI'I'TIN G MEANS FOR INTERNAL COMBIfSTION memes Application filed January 6,- 1930. Serial No. 418,764.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to 1mproved means for admitting the fuel charge thereto in intimately mixed and uniformly distributed condition.

A principal object of the invention is to provide centrifu a1 means of forcing the explosive char e" engine in fine y divided form in all directlons 1 Within a plane into the intake assages of an engine, the charge being distr uted without any tendency to settle due to the effects of gravitation.

It is another primary object of the lnvention to provide a supercharger of the rotary impeller type .with passages or conduits through which all, or a part, of the explosive mixture may be take passages centrifugal effect of the supercharger upon the charge serving to aid in the atomizatlon of the articles thereof and force them at high velocity uniformlythrou'ghout the an being admitted into the intake passages.

A feature of importance of the inventlon is that a rich mixture of air and a hydrocarbon, such as may be admitted at the axis of an impeller independently of the air admitted through the intake from the periphery of the impeller, will be admitted uniformly distributed in finelyd1- vided or atomized condition directly into the diffusion cham wherein it will be intimately mixed with the air taken in through the intake.

Another feature of importance is that the supercharger will not require numerous additional or complicated parts to provide the necessary passages for the fuel ut will be simple and not easily put out of. operation.

Another most important object of the invention is to effect an extremely even distribution of a liquid fuel in air to form an explosive charge for an internal combustion engine, the charge being uniformlydistributed among the diflerentcylinders regardless of their position and the shape of the Intake passages which may have sharp turns.

or an internal combustion admitted directly to the inleading to the cylinders, the.

gasoline or other liquid fuel,

passage, and, after being forced r surrounding the impeller the conduit; th

e present invention is designed prime rily for application'to an engine having a cylinder' arran ement and form of diffuser space and into e passages similar to those shown and described in the apfirl lic'ation of G. J. Mead, Serial N 0. 142,332, ed October 18, 1926; v Withthese and other objects in view mm invention includes the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

u n the accompanying drawin 7 hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown myunvention embodied in a rotary impeller positively driven and centrally located relative to the intake conduit and diffuser chamber of an internal combus tion engine designed for aircraft, but it will wise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the that purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure view of m and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the impeller shown in Fig. 1 partly broken away to more clearly show its construction.

In the-above mentioned drawings I have shown but one which is now deemed preferable but-it is to be understoodthat changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Briefly, and in its broadest aspect, my invention includes the following principal parts: first, an impeller rotatably mounted within a anism illustrating the invention;

engine; second, a nected at one end ner permitting rotation of the impeller about ird, means to. admit fuel to the conduit, preferably mixed with air to form an extremely'rich ixture; fourth, passages extending from wit in the impeller to fuel supply conduit conis a central longitudinal sectional a so annexed/i I be understood that the invention can be other- I embodiment of the invention portion of the fuel intake passages I leading to the cylinder or cylinders of an to the lmpeller in a manthe periphery thereof so that the fuel or the mixture of fuel and air forming the explosive charge may be thrown substantially radially outward in a plane from the periphery of the 5 impeller; fifth, air passages through which air unmixed with fuel may be admitted to .the intake passage and past or through vanes of the impeller when the impeller also forms the supercharger; and sixth, controlling means for regulating the amounts of the fuel or fuel mixture forming the explosive charge being admitted to the impeller through the mixture and air passages.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings, I providea rotatably mounted centrifugal wheel or impeller within an engine frame member 11, this member 11 having formed therein intake passages 12. The

passages 12 lead to the different an engine, the portions of the passages 12 shown "in Fig. 1 also forming the diffuser section of the supercharger. The passages 12' shown are adapted particularly for a radial type internal combustion engine and may be provided with the usual diffusion vanes (not shown). A main intake passage 13 is provided through which air unmixed with fuel may be admitted to the central or axial portions of the impeller 10. The impeller 10 in the embodiment shown is adapted to be driven from the crank shaft of the engine (not shown) by means of gearing 1 1 connected to shaft 15 on which the impeller is mounted.

The impeller 10 is formed of two principal members shown most clearly in Fig. 2. s shown, the impeller is preferably of the single intake open type and when employed also as a supercharger, the vanes 16 are preferably formed integrally with the web or body portion of the impeller. By means of these vanes 16, when the impeller 10 is rotated rapidly the air or fuel mixture forming the explosive charge is admitted to the passages 12 in greater quantity and at a higher pressure than without the impeller vanes 16, the effect of the impeller vanes 16 being to greatly increase the velocity of the air or air an the finely divided liquid'fuel through the diffuser space immediately surrounding the periphery of the impeller 10.

As will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 2,-one face of the impeller body member is provided with shallow recesses or slots 9, radially disposed ridges being left on the body member between the slots 9. Preferably the slots 9 may be milled directly into the member 10,these being wider at theperiphery of the impeller 10 than at its central portions. This face of the impeller 10 is provided with a cover plate 17 riveted or otherwise fastened at its periphery to the member 10 as shown. The slots 9 milled into this member 10 there- 8 fore provide extremely shallow but relatively cylinders of ently described,

wide passages extending radially so that air or gases within these passages will be thrown radially and tangentially outward in the plane of the slots in all directions by the centrifugal forces induced by the rapid rotation of the impeller or wheel 10. m

a On the intake side of the impeller 10 is provided a member '18 conveniently threaded upon the impeller shaft 15 to hold the impeller thereon, its inner portions being recessed as shown at 19 to form a chamber and provided with a plurality of passages 20 extending to the front face of the impeller 10. The extended end of the member 18 fits over one end of a tube 21 so that the impeller 10 and member 18 may rotate freely and without friction about this tube. The tube 21 passes through the wall of the main intake passage 13, a special cap being provided therein and at its outer end is attached to a tube 22. Into this tube 22 may be admitted fuel either in the form of a liquid unmixed with air or preferably, and as will be presintimately mixed with air and in finely comminuted form.

The rear ends of thepassages 20 Within the member 18 join continuations thereof 20 within the body member of the impeller 10. At the rearward ends of these passages 20*, but one of which is shown in the drawings, the fuel in its liquid or mixed form enters the space between the body member of the impeller 10 and the plate 17. From this space it is thrown as described above through the slots 9 into the intake passages or diffuser space 12. L

One preferred form of ad mitting fuel to the tube 22 is shown in Fig. 1. In this form a Venturi nozzle 23 is connected to the outer end of the tube 22 into the throat of which is introduced a connection or orifice 24 connected by any desired or preferred means to a fuel supply system. Due to the effect of the high speed of rotation of the impeller, air is drawn through the'nozzle 23 at high velocity. Into this stream of enterin air through the nozzle 23 fuel is admitted rom the orifice or connection 24. The mixed air and fuel therefore enter the tubes 22 and 21 and from tube 21 enter the member 18 in its central recessed portion 19. From this recessed or chambered portion 19 the mixture enters the conduits 20 and 20 Within the member 18 and body member of the impeller 10. From the opposite ends of the conduits 20 the mixture enters the central portion of the impeller as above described. J

From an inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that the intake passages and diffuser space 12 are inclined or oblique relative to the axis of the impeller 10 so that the mixture, as soon as .it leaves the periphery of the impeller 10, enters the stream of incoming air discharged by the impeller in a didistributing it throughout the incoming air and dividing it equally among the different cylinders of the engine.

"a reach rod 28 A valve is interposed within the main intake passage 1-3 to provide means to regulate thequantity Similarly .a valve 26 may be provided within a portion Venturi nozzle 23 controlling the amount of mixture or fuel charge. For convenience these valves may be connected by a link 27 so that movement of one valve as by will also operate the other valve. As shown, the link 27 connecting the valves 25 and 26 is adjustable as to its length by means of a turn buckle 29 orother convenient means so that the proper-relative positions of the valves 25 and 26 may be set for any desired. or predetermined operating conditions. e

What I: claim is: 1. In an internal combustionengine in combination, an intake conduit, a rotary, member.

therein, and means to supply fuel to said mem-.

ber, conduits within said member extending to the periphery thereof, said member when from in all directions rotated forcing said fuel tangentially therein a plane by centrifugal force.

- I I 1 i I 2. In an lnternal combustion engine in combination, an intake conduit, a rotary im-.

peller therein, conduits within said impeller extending radially and disposed in a plane normal to the ariis of rotation of said impeller, and means to'admit fuel to the central portion of said impeller.

3. In an internal combustion engine in combination, an intake conduit, an open type rotary supercharger impeller therein, radially disposed conduits within said impeller extending to the periphery thereof, and means to admit fuel to the central portion of said impeller, whereby upon rotation of said impeller at high speed said fuel will be thrown therefrom simultaneously with air acted on by said impeller. i f I 4. A supercharger impeller for internal combustion engins comprising a body member having vanes provided thereon, means to rotate said impeller, and conduits formed therein radially disposed in a-plane normal to the axis of revolution of said impeller and independent of said vanes.

5. A supercharger impeller for internal combustion engines comprisinga body member having air directing vanes thereon and conduits therein having openings at the periphery of said body member, whereby fuel admitted to said conduits will thrown its finely divided form is thereof air admitted to the passages 12 in the usual manner.

impeller and radially ing in combination,

therefrom uniformly. in all directions in a plane when said impeller is rotated;

6. A- supercharger impeller for internal combustion engines comprising in combination, a body member having air impelling vanes thereon, and a cover plate closing one end of said body member,

said body member and cover plate forming between them radially disposed slots whereby fuel may be emitted from said slots into the air stream from said vanes.

7. An impeller forinternalcombustion en-L a rotatably gines comprising in combination, mounted body member having a secured upon one face'thereof, said her and cover radially disposed slots in a plane normal to the axis of rotation of the body member.'

8. An internal combustion engine comprising in combination, an intake conduit, an impeller therein, fuel admitting means to said cover plate body memleading therefrom whereby said fuel will be forciblythrown from upon rotation of said impeller. 4 An internal combustion engine comprisan intake conduit, a supercharger impeller therein. for forcin' air (through said intake conduit, fuel admitting means to said impeller,

and fuel conduits leading therefrom to the periphery thereof whereby said fuel will be forcibly thrown radially from said impeller in a plane upon rotation thereof into said' intake conduit.

10; An internal combustion engine comprisin in combination, superc arger impeller therein for forcin air through said intake conduit, and fue -mixture admitting means to said impeller,v

obliquely disposed portions of said conduit surrounding said impeller, thin radial conduits within said impeller disposed in a plane normal to the axis of rotation thereoffor said fuel mixture and extending to the periphery thereof, whereby fuel thrown radially from said impeller will enter said conduit centrally and obliquely to said entering aii'.

11. A rotatably mounted. impeller compris- I ing in 'combinatioma body member havin vanes thereon for directing air radially and tangentially of the impeller, means to admit, fluid in finely comminuted form" centrally within said impeller, thin and radial conduits disposed within said impeller in a lane normal to the axis of rotation thereof for fore: ing said liquid from said impeller upon rotation thereof.

12. An impeller for internal combustion engines comprisingv in combination, a base member having air directing-vanes on one side, .and aisubstantially radially disposed plate forming between-themthe periphery of said" impeller in a plane into said intake passage an intake conduit, a.

disposed fuel conduits surface on the other side having radialy disi posed recessed portions therein,

a cover plate against said side whereby thin radially disposed s lots are riphery thereof,

formed extending to the p eand means to admit liqmd fuel to portions of said slots adjacent the axis of rotation of said impeller.

; In testimony whereof, I

hgreto aflix mj signature.

LEONARD S. HOBBS. 

